batch.motif.greek-roman-berens-myths-legends-gutenberg-l9018-l9107
---
record_id: batch.motif.greek-roman-berens-myths-legends-gutenberg-l9018-l9107
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek-roman/project-gutenberg/myths-legends-ancient-greece-rome-berens.md
passage_locator:
label: OEDIPUS. / THE SEVEN AGAINST THEBES. / THE EPIGONI. / ALCMAEON AND THE NECKLACE.;
lines 9018-9107
start: '9018'
end: '9107'
translation: Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: Alcmaeon kills his mother Eriphyle to avenge Amphiaraus, is punished by
divine madness and pursuit by a Fury, wanders, is purified by Phegeus, marries
Arsinoe, and later leaves when his presence brings drought and curse. He finds
a newly emerged island by the river Achelous, is purified by the river-god, and
marries Calirrhoe. Calirrhoe desires Harmonia's necklace and veil, so Alcmaeon
deceives Arsinoe to recover them. The sons of Phegeus ambush and kill him; Arsinoe
is falsely accused and dies. Calirrhoe prays to Zeus, who causes her infant sons
to become adult men; they kill the sons of Phegeus and Phegeus and his wife, then
dedicate the necklace and veil at Delphi by Achelous's command.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: Alcmaeon returns from the expedition against Thebes and resolves to carry
out Amphiaraus's injunction to avenge him on Eriphyle.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: Alcmaeon kills Eriphyle and leaves his ancestral home with Harmonia's necklace
and veil.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: The gods punish Alcmaeon with madness and send a Fury to pursue him.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: Phegeus purifies Alcmaeon and gives him Arsinoe in marriage; Alcmaeon gives
Arsinoe the necklace and veil.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:5
text: A drought afflicts Alcmaeon's adopted country, and the Delphic oracle says
any land sheltering him will be cursed until he reaches a land not existing when
he killed his mother.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:6
text: Alcmaeon finds a fertile island that recently emerged from beneath the water
near the river Achelous and is purified by the river-god Achelous.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:7
text: Alcmaeon marries Calirrhoe, daughter of Achelous, and has two sons with her.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: obs:8
text: Calirrhoe desires Harmonia's necklace and veil after hearing of them.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:9
text: Alcmaeon deceives Arsinoe and Phegeus by saying he needs to dedicate the necklace
and veil at Delphi to cure madness, and Arsinoe returns the objects to him.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:10
text: A servant reveals Alcmaeon's marriage to Calirrhoe; Phegeus's sons ambush
and kill Alcmaeon to avenge Arsinoe's wrongs.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:11
text: Arsinoe reproaches her brothers for Alcmaeon's murder; they place her in a
chest, take her to Agapenor at Tegea, accuse her of their crime, and she dies
painfully.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:12
text: Calirrhoe prays to Zeus that her infant sons become men at once and avenge
Alcmaeon.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: obs:13
text: Zeus grants the prayer, and Calirrhoe's young sons become bearded men with
strength, courage, and desire for revenge.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: obs:14
text: The sons of Calirrhoe kill the sons of Phegeus, then kill Phegeus and his
wife, and bring back the necklace and veil.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: obs:15
text: By Achelous's command, the necklace and veil are deposited as sacred offerings
in Apollo's temple at Delphi.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Alcmaeon
description: Son of Amphiaraus; killer of Eriphyle; wanderer; husband of Arsinoe
and later Calirrhoe; killed by the sons of Phegeus.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:4
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Amphiaraus
description: Alcmaeon's father, whose last injunction calls for revenge on Eriphyle.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Eriphyle
description: Alcmaeon's mother, described as accepting a bribe to betray Amphiaraus
and urging Alcmaeon to join the expedition in return for Harmonia's veil; killed
by Alcmaeon.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: The gods
description: Divine agents who punish Alcmaeon's matricide and curse lands that
shelter him.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: A Fury
description: One of the Furies sent to pursue Alcmaeon unceasingly.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Phegeus
description: King of Psophis in Arcadia; purifies Alcmaeon, gives him Arsinoe in
marriage, and is later killed by Calirrhoe's sons.
role_refs:
- role:7
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:6
- ev:10
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: Arsinoe
description: Daughter of Phegeus; wife of Alcmaeon; keeper of the necklace and veil;
deceived by Alcmaeon and later killed after false accusation.
role_refs:
- role:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:6
- ev:8
- id: fig:8
name_or_label: Achelous
description: River-god who purifies Alcmaeon, father of Calirrhoe, and commands
the dedication of the necklace and veil at Delphi.
role_refs:
- role:10
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:10
- id: fig:9
name_or_label: Calirrhoe
description: Daughter of Achelous; second wife of Alcmaeon; desires Harmonia's necklace
and veil; prays to Zeus for her sons to avenge Alcmaeon.
role_refs:
- role:11
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:9
- id: fig:10
name_or_label: Sons of Phegeus
description: Brothers of Arsinoe who ambush and kill Alcmaeon, accuse Arsinoe, and
are later killed by Calirrhoe's sons.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
- ev:10
- id: fig:11
name_or_label: Zeus
description: Ruler of Olympus who grants Calirrhoe's prayer for her sons' immediate
maturity.
role_refs:
- role:12
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: fig:12
name_or_label: Sons of Calirrhoe
description: Infant sons of Alcmaeon and Calirrhoe transformed into adult men who
avenge their father's death.
role_refs:
- role:13
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- ev:10
- id: fig:13
name_or_label: Agapenor
description: Son of Ancaeus at Tegea, to whom Arsinoe is conveyed by her brothers.
role_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: fig:14
name_or_label: Apollo
description: God whose temple at Delphi receives the necklace and veil as sacred
offerings.
role_refs:
- role:14
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:10
roles:
- id: role:1
label: matricidal avenger
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Alcmaeon kills Eriphyle to fulfill Amphiaraus's revenge injunction.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:2
label: cursed wanderer
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: After the killing, Alcmaeon is afflicted with madness, pursued by a Fury,
cursed by sheltering lands, and repeatedly wanders.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: role:3
label: injunction-giving father
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: Amphiaraus's last injunction prompts Alcmaeon's revenge on Eriphyle.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:4
label: bribed betrayer and slain mother
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: Eriphyle accepts bribes involving Harmonia's objects and is killed by her
son.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:5
label: divine punishers
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: The gods punish Alcmaeon's crime with madness and a continuing curse.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: role:6
label: pursuing avenger-spirit
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: A Fury is sent to pursue Alcmaeon unceasingly.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:7
label: purifying host and father-in-law
assigned_to:
- fig:6
basis: Phegeus purifies Alcmaeon and gives him Arsinoe in marriage.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:8
label: kin-avenger
assigned_to:
- fig:6
- fig:10
basis: Phegeus informs his sons of Alcmaeon's conduct, and the sons kill Alcmaeon
to avenge Arsinoe.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: role:9
label: deceived and wronged wife
assigned_to:
- fig:7
basis: Arsinoe receives the bridal gifts, is deceived into returning them, reproaches
her brothers, and dies after false accusation.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:8
- id: role:10
label: river-god purifier and dedicator's authority
assigned_to:
- fig:8
basis: Achelous purifies Alcmaeon and later commands the objects' dedication at
Delphi.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:10
- id: role:11
label: desiring wife and petitioner
assigned_to:
- fig:9
basis: Calirrhoe desires the necklace and veil and prays to Zeus for her sons to
avenge Alcmaeon.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:9
- id: role:12
label: prayer-answering deity
assigned_to:
- fig:11
basis: Zeus hears Calirrhoe's petition and transforms the children into adult men.
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: role:13
label: miraculously matured avengers
assigned_to:
- fig:12
basis: The sons become men at once and kill their father's killers and Phegeus's
household.
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- ev:10
- id: role:14
label: recipient deity of sanctuary offering
assigned_to:
- fig:14
basis: The necklace and veil are deposited in Apollo's temple at Delphi.
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: Harmonia's necklace and veil
literal_form: A celebrated necklace and veil associated with Harmonia; repeatedly
transferred through bribery, bridal gift, deception, murder, and final dedication.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:3
- fig:7
- fig:9
- fig:10
- fig:12
- fig:14
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:10
- id: sym:2
label: newly emerged island
literal_form: A beautiful and fertile island lately emerged from beneath the water
near the river Achelous.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:8
- fig:9
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: sym:3
label: river Achelous
literal_form: River setting where Alcmaeon discovers the new island and is purified
by the river-god.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:8
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: sym:4
label: cave
literal_form: A cave in Alcmaeon's native country, falsely named by him as the hiding
place of the necklace and veil.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:9
taxonomy_refs:
- cave
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: sym:5
label: chest
literal_form: A chest in which Arsinoe is placed before being taken to Tegea.
associated_figures:
- fig:7
- fig:10
- fig:13
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: sym:6
label: Delphi and Apollo's temple
literal_form: The sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi, falsely invoked by Alcmaeon and
later the actual place where the necklace and veil are deposited.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:7
- fig:10
- fig:12
- fig:14
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:10
- id: sym:7
label: drought
literal_form: A severe drought sent upon Alcmaeon's adopted country while his curse
remains.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Matricide and departure with Harmonia's objects
summary: Alcmaeon carries out Amphiaraus's revenge injunction by killing Eriphyle,
then leaves home with the necklace and veil.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: scene:2
label: Divine punishment and first purification
summary: The gods afflict Alcmaeon with madness and a pursuing Fury; he reaches
Psophis, where Phegeus purifies him and gives him Arsinoe in marriage.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:4
- fig:5
- fig:6
- fig:7
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: scene:3
label: Drought, oracle, and renewed exile
summary: A drought strikes the land sheltering Alcmaeon, and the Delphic oracle
says his curse will continue until he reaches land not existing when he killed
his mother; he leaves Arsinoe and his son.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:4
- fig:7
symbol_refs:
- sym:7
- sym:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: scene:4
label: New island and marriage to Calirrhoe
summary: Alcmaeon finds a newly emerged island near Achelous, is purified by the
river-god, and marries Calirrhoe.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:8
- fig:9
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: scene:5
label: Deceptive recovery of the necklace and veil
summary: At Calirrhoe's urging, Alcmaeon returns to Psophis and deceives Arsinoe
and Phegeus by claiming he must dedicate the objects at Delphi to cure madness;
Arsinoe gives them back.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:6
- fig:7
- fig:9
- fig:14
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:4
- sym:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: scene:6
label: Ambush of Alcmaeon and death of Arsinoe
summary: After a servant reveals Alcmaeon's second marriage, the sons of Phegeus
ambush and kill him; Arsinoe reproaches them, is placed in a chest, falsely accused,
and dies.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:7
- fig:10
- fig:13
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: scene:7
label: Miraculous maturation, vengeance, and dedication
summary: Calirrhoe prays to Zeus, her infant sons become adult avengers, kill the
sons of Phegeus and Phegeus and his wife, and return the necklace and veil, which
are dedicated at Delphi by Achelous's command.
figure_refs:
- fig:6
- fig:8
- fig:9
- fig:10
- fig:11
- fig:12
- fig:14
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- ev:10
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: Divine punishment for kin-slaying
taxonomy_refs:
- divine_judgment
basis: The gods punish Alcmaeon's killing of his mother with madness, a pursuing
Fury, drought, and a curse on lands that shelter him.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
confidence: high
cautions: The passage frames the punishment as divine judgment but does not provide
a formal ritual-theological category beyond the narrative events.
- id: motif:2
label: Cursed precious objects passing through bribery, marriage, deception, murder,
and dedication
taxonomy_refs:
- sacred_exchange
basis: Harmonia's necklace and veil are obtained through bribes, given as bridal
gifts, recovered by deception, cause ruin among possessors, and end as sacred
offerings at Delphi.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:10
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage explicitly calls the objects fatal and ill-fated, but the
taxonomy link to sacred exchange is interpretive and should be reviewed.
- id: motif:3
label: Purification and refuge on newly emerged land
taxonomy_refs:
- water
basis: Alcmaeon's curse can end only in land not existing at the time of his crime;
he finds an island newly emerged from beneath water and is purified by Achelous.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
confidence: medium
cautions: Available taxonomy includes water as a symbol rather than a motif family;
the motif label is descriptive.
- id: motif:4
label: Miraculously matured children as avengers
taxonomy_refs:
- miraculous_child
basis: Calirrhoe's infant sons become bearded men in answer to Zeus and immediately
avenge their father's death.
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- ev:10
confidence: high
cautions: The children are transformed into adults rather than being miraculous
at birth; the fit is close but not exact.
- id: motif:5
label: Revenge cycle within kinship and marriage alliances
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The narrative begins with Alcmaeon's revenge for Amphiaraus, continues with
Phegeus's sons avenging Arsinoe, and ends with Calirrhoe's sons avenging Alcmaeon.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:7
- ev:9
- ev:10
confidence: high
cautions: No specific available taxonomy reference captures this full revenge-cycle
pattern.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 9018-9027
quote_or_summary: Alcmaeon returns from the Theban expedition, resolves to avenge
Amphiaraus on Eriphyle for bribery and betrayal, kills her, and leaves with Harmonia's
necklace and veil.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek-roman/project-gutenberg/myths-legends-ancient-greece-rome-berens.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized from supplied passage.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 9028-9036
quote_or_summary: The gods punish Alcmaeon with madness and a pursuing Fury; at
Psophis, Phegeus purifies him, gives him Arsinoe, and Alcmaeon gives her the necklace
and veil.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek-roman/project-gutenberg/myths-legends-ancient-greece-rome-berens.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized from supplied passage.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: lines 9037-9047
quote_or_summary: A drought affects Alcmaeon's adopted land; Delphi's oracle says
any land sheltering him will be cursed until he reaches a country not existing
when he murdered his mother, so he leaves his wife and son.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek-roman/project-gutenberg/myths-legends-ancient-greece-rome-berens.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized from supplied passage.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: lines 9048-9057
quote_or_summary: At the river Achelous, Alcmaeon finds a fertile island newly emerged
from beneath the water, settles there, is purified by Achelous, and marries Calirrhoe.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek-roman/project-gutenberg/myths-legends-ancient-greece-rome-berens.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized from supplied passage.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 9058-9063
quote_or_summary: Alcmaeon and Calirrhoe have two sons; Calirrhoe hears of Harmonia's
necklace and veil and strongly desires them.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek-roman/project-gutenberg/myths-legends-ancient-greece-rome-berens.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized from supplied passage.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: lines 9064-9076
quote_or_summary: Alcmaeon conceals his former marriage, falsely says the objects
are hidden in a cave, then tells Arsinoe and Phegeus an oracle requires him to
deposit them at Delphi; Arsinoe returns the bridal gifts.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek-roman/project-gutenberg/myths-legends-ancient-greece-rome-berens.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized from supplied passage.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: lines 9077-9086
quote_or_summary: The necklace and veil are said to bring ruin to possessors; a
servant reveals Alcmaeon's union with Calirrhoe, and Phegeus's sons ambush and
kill Alcmaeon.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek-roman/project-gutenberg/myths-legends-ancient-greece-rome-berens.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized from supplied passage.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: lines 9087-9093
quote_or_summary: Arsinoe reproaches her brothers for murdering Alcmaeon; they put
her in a chest, take her to Agapenor at Tegea, accuse her of their own crime,
and she dies painfully.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek-roman/project-gutenberg/myths-legends-ancient-greece-rome-berens.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized from supplied passage.
- id: ev:9
type: summary
locator: lines 9094-9100
quote_or_summary: Calirrhoe asks Zeus that her infant sons immediately become men
and avenge Alcmaeon; Zeus grants the prayer, and the children become bearded,
strong, courageous men seeking revenge.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek-roman/project-gutenberg/myths-legends-ancient-greece-rome-berens.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized from supplied passage.
- id: ev:10
type: summary
locator: lines 9101-9107
quote_or_summary: Calirrhoe's sons kill the sons of Phegeus at Tegea, then kill
Phegeus and his wife at Psophis, return to Calirrhoe with the necklace and veil,
and deposit them in Apollo's temple at Delphi by Achelous's command.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek-roman/project-gutenberg/myths-legends-ancient-greece-rome-berens.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized from supplied passage.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: uncertain
notes: Extraction is based only on the supplied passage. Motif candidates are descriptive
and use available taxonomy only where directly supportable; no external comparison
claims were added.
reviewer_status:
status: needs_review
reviewer: ''
reviewed_at: ''
notes: Machine-generated draft from OpenAI Batch; not human-reviewed.
extracted_by: openai_batch:gpt-5.5
extracted_at: '2026-04-28'
notes: |-
No comparison claims supplied because the passage itself does not explicitly compare this narrative to another tradition or corpus.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:greek-roman-berens-myths-legends-gutenberg__l9018-l9107
passage_sha256=e9edfcd9cff42ef96ad467b0b381997ebcc50dd6a1192992e8b43b007e7d7a61